First time out [Archive] - copenworld forums

kwakman

08-06-2010, 07:56 PM

After sorting out a couple of issues with my purchase and getting my insurance sorted I finally got to try out the Copen at the weekend. I had a few days clear so loaded up my camping gear and headed to the Highlands for a few days :D
I can honestly say that if I had realised what a versatile and fun little car it is I would have stopped struggling with the bike a couple of years ago. I covered about 1200 miles in four days, was very comfortable and due to the copens size and handling it was just as much fun as a bike around the fantastic roads up there :D
I have no regrets on buying the Copen, it's far better than I expected, just need to start planning on minor mods to make it my own.

Below is a link to photobucket with a few pics, they're not very good or of anything in particular just took a few snaps here and there.
(Don't know if the link will work or you have to cut and paste into address bar, never tried this before :confused:)

http://s880.photobucket.com/albums/ac8/unclearry/Scourie%20-%20June%202009/Dumfries%202009/Scourie%20-%20June%20-%202010/

machinehead

08-06-2010, 08:52 PM

Rex

08-06-2010, 09:46 PM

Very nice pics kwakman. Looks like you had great weather too.

How did you manage to carry camping gear with the top down?

The lack of space with the top down is the only real problem with the Copen. I'm planning to buy a boot rack to help solve this.

M.

I've found there is quite a lot of room with the top down between the back windscreen and the roof. ;) Just put something soft on the windscreen 1st and as a precaution, un-clip the black screen at the bottom of the boot to ensure the roof will not operate (just in-case you forget). Okay, it's not perfect and a bit like loading through a letter box. I carry a small torch and it helps to check everything is out before you raise the roof :eek:.

Rex.

kwakman

09-06-2010, 06:58 AM

I managed to carry my gear better than expected. Because I was travelling alone I placed my tent (A 3-man Vango Omega which isn't the smallest tent)/ sleeping bag and air mat in the passenger footwell
My stove and basic provisions went in a small holdall that then sat on top of these. I then used a large towel to cover the passenger seat and used a large holdall to carry my clothing etc, this sat on the seat and covered / hid the other stuff in the footwell and I threaded the seatbelt through the handles so that nobody could just make a grab for the bag when stopping for fuel etc, if the car was going to be out of my site I of course put the roof up. This meant that I didn't have to worry about rearranging gear when I wanted to put the roof up or down, in fact I didn't use the boot at all !
I think that if two people were in the car I would just about manage to get this lot in the boot with some carefull arranging, it would just mean leaving the roof up until you got to your destination and set up camp.
I do have a very large waterproof rollbag that I used on the bikes and would like to use this strapped to a boot rack I am just concerned whether the boot is strong enough to carry a load like this and would I have to remove the rollbag before operating the roof ?, any advice from somebody who has used a boot rack would be appreciated.
My neighbours who have a Copen regularly go away in it, they don't camp but use B&B's and carry enough gear for a fortnight by carrying all their clothes in freezer bags which allows them to make use of all the nooks and crannies in the boot without causing any damage or worrying about anything getting wet.